Rail-tie.



PATENTED NOV. 8, 1903.

w. GAS SER. RAIL TIE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

RE norms mus co. wormu'rm" WASHING U ITED STATES Patented November 3, 1903.

WILLIAM GASSER, OF NILES, OHIO.

RAIL-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 743,157, dated November 3, 1903. Application filed August 5, 1903. Serial No. 168,335. (No model.) A

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM GASSER, a oitizen of the United States, residing at Niles, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Ties, of which the following is a specifloat-ion.

This invention relates to rail-ties, the ob ject in view being to provide a sectional tie for firmly securing together and bracing the rails of a railway, the parts of the complete tie being so combined and arranged as to render unnecessary the use of bolts, nuts, or similar fastenings, thereby reducing the liability of the parts becoming displaced and disconnected from each other and insuring the rails against lateral displacement or spreading, due to excessive lateral strain brought to bear thereon by heavy trains, especially on curves.

With these and other objects in View, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section through a pair of railway-rails, illustrating the improved tie in elevation and applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail perspective view of one of the end portions of the tie shown applied to a section of a rail. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the overlapping toothed portions of the tiebar sections. Fig. 4 is anenlarged detail cross-section taken through the overlapping ends of the tie-bar sections. Fig. 5 is a similar section taken in line with the locking-key of the movable brace.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The tie-bar contemplated by this invention is composed of two corresponding sections 1 and 2, each of which is provided at its outer end with an upwardly and inwardly extending fixed brace 3, which is shaped to conform to the base-flange and web of the rail, against which it abuts, as clearly shown in Figs. 1

and 2, the said fixed brace bearing snugly and firmly against the outer surface of the rail-web and also against the upper surface of the outer base-flange of the rail.

and 2.

At a.point about midway between the rails the tie-bar sections 1 and 2 are arranged to overlap each other, as shown in Fig. 3, each section being suitably rabbeted for that purpose, as shown at 4. The opposite faces of the rabbeted and overlapping portions of the tie-bar sections are also provided with corresponding ribs or teeth 5, which when the two parts are brought together interlock with each other and prevent any possibility of relative sliding longitudinal movement between the tie-bar sections 1 and 2. The superposed overlapping end is provided at opposite sides with pendent flanges (3, which when the two ends are overlapped extend downward on opposite sides of the lower overlapping end and project beneath the lower surface of the tie, as shown in Fig. 1, where said flanges are provided with holes 7, through which is inserted and driven a tapering or wedge-shaped key 8. (Best illustrated in the enlarged sectional view Fig. 4, wherein it will be observed that the key sets edgewise vertically, with the lower side beveled or inclined, so that when the key is driven tight the tendency is to force the teeth 5 into firm interlocked engagement with each other.) The uppermost overlapping end is further provided with a longitudinal slot 9, while the lower overlapping end is provided with a bolt-hole 10. In bringing the two overlapping ends of the tie-bar sections together a pry-bar is ordinarily inserted through the slot 9 and the end thereof brought into engagement with one of the teeth 5 of the lower overlapping section. By working such pry-bar the operator is enabled to force the two tie-bar sections toward each other until the proper teeth 5 are brought into engagement with each other, whereupon a bolt is passed through the slot 9 and hole 10 and made fast,'thus securely fastening the tie-bar sections together and preventing any possibility of the spreading of the rails.

At each end of the tie-bar a movable brace 11 is employed, having a nose portion 12, which bears firmly against the upper side of the base-flange and the inner surface of the web of the rail, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 The brace bears for a greater portion of its length on the upper surface of the adjacent tie-bar and is provided at opposite sides with downwardly-extending flanges 13, which straddle the tie-bar, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, said flanges extending sufficiently below the plane of the bottom of the tie to have formed therein oppositely-arranged holes 14, through which is driven a wedge-shaped key 15, having a gradual taper from end to end. The lower surface of the tie-bar is transversely grooved, as shown at 16, to receive the key 15, so that as the key is driven in the movable brace is forced into firm engagement with the web and flange of the adjacent rail. It will be noticed that the key 15 is set edgewise horizontally, so as to enable it better to take the strain brought to bear thereon by the movable brace 11, the strain being directed horizontally and longitudinallyof the tie. Additional means may be employed, if desired, for holding the key in place; but such additional means will not ordinarily be found necessary. If desired, the bolt-hole 10 and the bolt above described in connection therewith may be omitted, as the key 8 will serve alone to prevent any separation of or relative movement between the toothed overlapping portions of the tie bar sections.

The tie hereinabove described is simple and cheap in construction. There are no bolts, nuts, or other delicate fastenings to work loose and allow of displacement of the parts of the tie, and the tie as a whole will prevent the spreading of the rails and consequent derailment of the cars.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A rail-tie comprising sections having toothed overlapping end portions, one of which is provided with flanges which straddle the other end portion, and a key inserted through said flanges and serving to hold the overlapping ends in interlocked engagement.

2. A rail-tie comprising sections, the ends of which are rabbeted and overlapped and provided with interlocking teeth, one of the overlapping portions being provided with flanges which straddle the other overlapping portion, and a key inserted through said flanges and serving to hold the overlapping portions of the sectionsin interlocked engagement.

3. A tie-bar composed of sections having toothed overlapping ends, one of which is provided with flanges which straddle the other end, and a key inserted through said flanges and serving to hold the overlapping ends in interlocked engagement, one of the overlapping ends being provided with a slot, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A rail-tie composed of sections having toothed overlapping ends, one ofwhich is provided with flanges which straddle the other end, and a key inserted through said flanges and serving to hold the overlapping ends in interlocked engagement, one of the ends being provided with a slot and the other having a bolthole, substantially as described.

5. A rail-tie provided at one end with a fixed brace or clamp, a movable brace or clamp located adjacent thereto and provided with flanges which straddle the body of the tie, and a key inserted through said flanges and serving to prevent relative movement between the movable brace and the body of the tie.

6. A rail-tie provided at one end with a fixed brace or clamp and having a keyway in its lower side, a movable brace or clamp arranged adjacent thereto and provided with flanges which extend downward on opposite sides of the tie, and a key inserted through said flanges and entering the keyway in the tie, whereby the movable brace or clamp is locked to the body of the tie and held in engagement with the raiL' 7. A rail-tie provided at one end with a fixed brace or clamp and having agroove extending transversely across its lower surface, a movable brace or clamp having flanges which extend downwardly on opposite sides of the tie-body, and a tapering key inserted through said flanges,said key passing through the groove in the tie and being set edgewise horizontally, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VJILLIAM GASSER.

Witnesses:

WM. GRAY, E. W. BURRELL. 

